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FOSTER, MAGEEAN AND MARRS BOW OUT IN BRUM

Northern Ireland’s Amy Foster just missed out on a spot in the 60 metres semi-finals at the world indoor athletics championships in Birmingham this morning.

The 29-year-old was eight-hundreds of a second away from her own Irish record but came fifth in her heat.

“My start was good but I didn’t run off it well,” she said. “It’s not a bad run but it’s not what I was looking for. It’s not easy to sprint at this level. I’ve had good races this year and this was probably the worst one but that’s just how it goes.”

Megan Marrs marked her senior international debut at the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Birmingham with sixth place in the heats of the 60m hurdles.

The time of 8.28 secs left the 20-year-old just short of reaching Saturday’s semis and brought an end an impressive indoor campaign that’s seen her collect personal bests and a UK title that earned her a maiden call-up for GB&NI.

“I know it wasn’t a PB which is a bit disappointing,” she said. “But I am so pleased to be a part of that race at the World Indoor Championships. It’s been a fantastic experience. I achieved my goals by being here; the staff were reminding me to enjoy the experience.

“To run in this arena under that pressure and with that atmosphere was a very different experience for me. I think I coped with it quite well.”

Ciara Mageean came seventh in the third 1500m semi in 4:11.81, bowing out of the competition.

The Portaferry runner, a European bronze medallist in 2016, will head shortly to Australia to finalise her preparations for representing Northern Ireland at the Commonwealth Games.

“I’m disappointed but I know I’m running better than that,” she said.

Earlier, Mageean’s long-time City of Lisburn club-mate Amy Foster just missed out on a spot in the 60 metres finals on Friday morning.

The 29-year-old was just eight-hundreds of a second away from her own Irish record but came fifth in her heat.

“My start was good but I didn’t run off it well,” she said. “It’s not a bad run but it’s not what I was looking for. It’s not easy to sprint at this level. I’ve had good races this year and this was probably the worst one but that’s just how it goes.”

Saturday evening's action at ArenaBirmingham sees Ben Reynolds in the heats of the men’s 60m hurdles with the Holywood hopeful seeking to land a clash with 2012 champion Aries Merritt of the USA.

“He is such a great guy and he’s going so well,” he said. “I raced him in my first world indoors in 2012 in the heats when I got through the semis. He’s a class act. But you’re able to feed off those guys as well. You realise there’s not such a huge gap between the levels as it seems.”